1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disc apparatus that performs reproduction, or recording and reproduction of information recorded on an optical disc, and more specifically, to figure input processing before executing title search, chapter search, track search, time search, and the like.
2. Description of Related Arts
As apparatuses that reproduce information recorded on an optical disc, such as a DVD(Digital Versatile Disk), CD (Compact Disk), or the like, optical disc apparatuses, such as DVD players, DVD recorders, or the like, have been widespread. To quickly find desired information from a DVD for reproduction, title search, chapter search, and time search are used. To quickly find desired information from a CD for reproduction, track search and time search are used.
For example, in reproduction from the DVD, before executing title search, chapter search, or time search, the DVD from which reproduction is to be performed is first loaded in the optical disc apparatus. Then, the menu key on a remote controller is held down, and, from among menu items on the menu screen displayed on a display apparatus, “title search”, “chapter search”, or “time search” is selected by holding down a Direction key on the remote controller and then determined by holding down a Determine key thereon, whereby the optical disc apparatus is set in any one of the modes, title search, chapter search, and time search.
In reproduction from the CD, before executing track search or time search, the CD from which reproduction is to be performed is first loaded in the optical disc apparatus. Then, the menu key on the remote controller is held down, and, from among the menu items on the menu screen displayed on the display apparatus, “track search” or “time search” is selected by holding down the Direction key on the remote controller and then determined by holding down the Determine key thereon, whereby the optical disc apparatus is set in either of the modes, track search or time search.
In the conventional optical disc apparatus, each of the search modes is set in a manner as described above. However, as a figure inputted upon this setting, any figure can be inputted, because a searchable figure is not taken into consideration during this figure setting. Thus, immediately before apparatus proceeds to search operation, the display apparatus, if there is any non-searchable figure, displays notification that search cannot be performed. In such a case, figure input operation needs to be performed again from the beginning, thus posing a problem of degraded operability of search function.
For example, in a case where, title search is performed on a DVD where only 12 titles are recorded, if a figure “1” is inputted at the first input operation, this figure “1” is registered as a figure in the ten's digit. However, if a figure “3” is inputted at the first input operation, the display device displays that title search cannot be performed. In a case where, after a figure “1” is inputted at the first input operation and registered as a figure in the ten's digit, for example, a figure “5” is inputted as a figure in the one's digit, this indicates the fifteenth title. In this case, the display device displays that title search cannot be performed, so that the figure input operation needs to be performed again from the beginning, thus posing a problem of degraded operability of search function.
JP-A-2005-63610 discloses a time search apparatus which, when time is inputted by input means, compares this inputted time with the total time recorded on the disc and, if the inputted time exceeds the total time, invalidates the inputted figures and then displays, in the corresponding digits, i.e., hour, minute, and second, on the display part, the upper limit values that can be inputted within the total time. Since the input figures are invalidated if the inputted time exceeds the total time, the input operation needs to be performed again from the beginning, thus resulting in degraded operability of search function. Moreover, in this conventional art, title search, chapter search, and track search are not disclosed.
JP-B-3537992 discloses a disc reproduction apparatus that performs reproduction from an optical disc, such as a CD or a MD. For example, an arbitrary position corresponding to a figure in decimal place is searched where one worth of disc tracks is sized as 1 so as to achieve reproduction. However, this publication does not disclose setting of figures inputted for title search, chapter search, track search, and time search, and operation related thereto.
JP-B-2615618 discloses an art that achieves easy settings for reproducing a program by recognizing the state of a display element illuminated, but does not disclose setting of figures inputted for title search, chapter search, track search, and time search.